Sam's Goodbye
by Nature9000
Summary: Sam is faced with the difficult decision of what to do with her life now that iCarly is over. With her mother still in prison and her best friend in Italy, she turns to her pen pal in LA, Cat, for guidance. Speaking with Carly, Cat Valentine, and Tori Vega, Sam is able to make the decision, but what will she choose? What recent revealations will influence her decision?


Sam's Goodbye

Disclaimer: Don't own iCarly

A/N: This is a oneshot, my thoughts on Sam leaving to LA where she will be spending time with Cat (As you know, Sam and Cat coming).

-BEST FRIEND CODE BROKEN-

Sam and Carly stood side by side in the elevator as it descended further, Lewbert having stopped it midway somewhere. She was seeing her best friend off to Italy, in hopes that Carly would have a good life with her father. She immediately wanted to share her thoughts with her pen pal that she'd met online a few months ago, oddly the same girl that had been at the big party with Tori Vega. It was strange the two never met, but Cat Valentine really seemed like an _interesting_ girl. A little annoying at times, but she knew how to make her laugh. "So what are you going to do now?" Carly asked with a quiet voice.

"I don't know…" Life after iCarly, she'd never thought about it. She could see herself being friends with Freddie, _maybe._ She straightened her shoulders and pushed her hands farther into her pockets. "Freddie, you know, asked me out again." Her eyes drifted to her friend, curiously she saw Carly tense up and her eyes glazed over momentarily. "You're going to miss him too, I know."

"Y-Yeah…" They had a pact regarding Freddie since she dated him, briefly inspired by her pen pal's story about Tori, Beck, and Jade. The thing was, Tori wouldn't let Beck kiss her because Jade was too good of a friend. It was an unspoken rule, as old as time itself, best friends don't date best friends' siblings or their exes. "What are you going to do about it? I mean, his asking you about that?"

"I don't know. It's not really something I want to think about right now." She wanted to blow him off, mostly because she knew he still had a crush on Carly. He _still_ crushed on her, even when they were dating. It broke her heart, made her feel like she was only his 'backup plan'. "I don't want to be his backup plan." Carly's lip tucked beneath her teeth, she looked upset about something, whatever it was. Sam merely smiled at her and reached over, hugging her one last time as the elevator doors opened again. "I hope you have fun in Italy, Carly."

"You know I will." They slowly moved out of the elevator, grinning as their eyes fell upon the handsome Colonel waiting for his daughter at the front doors. "Do you think Freddie's going to call you again?"

Carly knew how she felt, how Freddie's crush had hurt her. It wasn't so bad, it was just the feeling of once more being chosen as second best to Carly. Just as what happened to Jonah years ago. "Uh probably Carly, I mean he _is_ my only other friend."

"What about that girl in LA?"

"Well…yeah…" Hollywood Arts was a nice school, they had some good colleges around that area as well. With her mom, unfortunately, still in prison and Melanie in boarding school still, it didn't matter where Sam went. "You know something? I might go visit Cat one of these days. Maybe even move there." Her cheeks rose with laughter as her heart beat hard in her chest.

"Really? That's a long ways away from Seattle. Would you really want to leave Freddie all by himself?"

"No, not really. I mean…I don't know…" Only if he was over his crush on Carly, she didn't want to have to sit and listen to him moaning about how he never got a chance to really date her. "If he's serious about getting back together…" Carly glanced back at her with a warm smile and quickly nodded her head.

"I think you should consider it. Be happy, Sam. If anything, you deserve that." Carly hesitated in her speech, as though there were something she wanted to say. It was hard enough saying goodbye, especially not knowing when the next time they'd see each other would be. "Think about it for a while, and if he asks you if you want to hook up again…maybe then there's something there."

"It doesn't feel right. But anyway, that's not important." Carly chuckled nervously and hurried next to her dad, hugging him close. Sam's heart rose happily as she eyed her best friend. Never having known her own father, she couldn't help but feel a sliver of jealousy. "I'm envious. I wish I could have what you have. Other than Freddie's friendship, there's nothing left for me here…" Carly turned to her, her mouth open in a circle and her eyes shone a brief glimmer of pain. She raised an eyebrow, creases forming over her brow. "Is there something wrong Carly?"

"N-No…it's just…" The girl wiped her eyes and hugged Sam again, choking out one last sob. "I'm really going to miss you, Sam. You're my best friend, no matter what." Sam hugged her back, rubbing her hand on her shoulder blades. "Promise me you and Freddie will still be friends? You've always been a loner, you need to have a good friend around…" Sam laughed and took a step back, patting her friend's shoulders.

"Don't you worry about me, I'll manage." She smirked teasingly and wagged her eyebrows. "Besides, as long as Benson doesn't become annoying, I'll do just fine." She paused to think on her words for a moment, then rephrased. "Make that, as long as he doesn't become _more_ annoying than he already is." Sam's heart broke as she studied Carly's sorrowful expression. She was trying her best not to cry, but the mist in her eyes was difficult to resist. "You do well in Italy. Don't forget about me."

"I won't. I promise. I guess Daddy and I have to go. You're taking the bike Spencer got you?"

"Yeah."

It wasn't long before Sam was home, leaning against her new motorcycle and curling her legs beneath her laptop. When she opened up Skype, she instantly checked to see if Cat was online, and to her pleasure, the girl's name was at the top of the list. Freddie was online as well, his online status beckoned her to talk with him. Though, when she hovered her mouse over his name, something stopped her in her tracks. It just didn't feel _right_.

He'd changed his status message, but before she could read it, she was getting a call from Cat. Thinking fast, she answered, smiling as bright as she could. The redheaded girl appeared with Tori beside her, wearing her reading glasses. "Sam!" Cat cried out happily. "Look! I have Tori with me!"

"I see that." She waved at Tori, who returned the wave. "Well, I'm home now. It's really happened, Carly's moved to Italy with her dad…" Cat's lips fell into a frown and Tori bowed her head.

"Oh Sam I'm sorry. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Cat. Mom's in jail still, probably won't get out in a few years. I don't know what college to go to…all I have left is Freddie. You know, he asked me if I wanted to get back together." She'd given it some more thought and was really thinking about what Carly told her. She _wanted_ to get back with him, but there was still the unshakeable feeling that it wasn't right. Cat put her hands to her cheeks, gasping happily.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! Are you going to get back with him?"

"I don't know, that's the thing. I _want_ to, but I feel like…I feel like there's something wrong." She pat her hand over her chest, sighing in desperation. "You know, we said we loved each other back then, but…I think he still liked Carly." It was a shame, because she actually had feelings for him. "I still like him, but…I don't want to be second fiddle, you know?" She cleared her throat and shook away her thoughts about Freddie, forcing herself to change the subject. "Enough about that. What's going on with you?"

"Well I'm getting an apartment of my own, but neither Tori or Jade want to be my roommate. I don't know why, they say they can't get away from their families."

"You need a roommate?"

"Yeah, I can't pay the rent all by myself."

"That's understandable. I'm sure you'll find someone, Cat."

"Hopefully soon…So do you know when Carly will be back?"

"I'm not sure. There's still a chance she might never come back. She said I should get back with Freddie because she wants me to be happy. It's just that stupid crush of his he's had on Carly forever. Even when he dated me, I'm not sure if he was really into it or not because he never got over that crush…" Tori's face wrinkled and Cat slowly rubbed her chin. Her eyebrows rose as she studied their concerned expressions, immediately she thought about defending Freddie. After all, he wasn't _really _a jerk.

"Sam there's definitely an issue, a fickle man will almost _always_ end up cheating." Sam's heart dropped from her chest as Tori spoke out her warning. "My big sister, Trina, dated a guy like that. Even I've dated someone like that…Cat remembers Danny…" Cat winced visibly and Sam closed her eyes, recalling Cat telling her about that story a while back. "There's really no difference between a fickle man, and a cheater."

Before she could say anything, Freddie began calling her over Skype, hesitatingly she bit down on her lip and moved the mouse over to the response buttons. "Hold on guys, Freddie's calling me…"

"You should have him join the call," Tori replied, "Let us talk to him and see what he thinks." Cat laughed and nodded in agreement. Sam could only smile at the suggestion, she was grateful to them, but she could handle this.

"I got this."

She answered Freddie's call and saw him looking into the camera expectantly, once he realized she was on, he brightened up and curled his lip into a tiny smile. "Hey Sam."

"Hey Benson." Her eyes drifted to her other call on hold. Hilarity was bound to come if she added him to the conversation, but she didn't want to subject him to the questions of her pen pal. "So…what are you doing? Missing Carly?"

"Yeah, I mean, we don't have iCarly anymore."

"Well, we're still friends."

"I'm glad about that." Freddie scratched the back of his head, his face began slowly turning red as his eyebrows arched up in the air. She studied his expression, still skeptical of him. "So about what I said earlier…"

"Getting back together?"

"Yeah. I was thinking…maybe we could do it?" The feelings she had for him before immediately came rushing back to her, as they did in the instance he asked the first time. She'd been overjoyed when he asked. She just had to make sure he was really over Carly.

"I uh…I don't want to be second best, Freddie. That crush you have-"

"Completely gone! I haven't thought about her in such a way since before you and I dated." Sam leaned back, looking up towards her motorcycle. Suspicion crept into her heart. Was he lying? When Gibby ran the restaurant in the school, Freddie clearly still had a crush on Carly, and that was _after_ they dated. "So what do you say, Sam? I mean…we don't have to if you don't want to, I don't mind being friends, but I still have feelings for you. You know."

"You're _sure_ you're not just hopping over to me because you can't have Carly?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know. I want to get back together, I just…" Who was she kidding? She _did_ want to get back with him. The elation was high, there was no denying what was in her heart. Memories of their time dating played with her mind. Freddie wouldn't toy with her emotions, surely not. She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, shunning all doubts. "Okay Freddie. How's Saturday sound?"

"Sounds great! Dinner and movies?"

"Yeah."

"I'll swing by at eight?"

"Sure." The call ended and Skype switched back to her prior video conference with Sam and Tori. She was glowing from the conversation and grinning, she wanted to tell Carly that she would be getting back with Freddie. "Cat, Tori, I've got a date Saturday!" The girls didn't appear too happy, smiling sadly at her. Concerned, she frowned and leaned towards the camera, studying their expression. "What's wrong?"

"You know how Facebook has these privacy settings?" Cat replied with a quiet voice. "Freddie's got a post for people on his friends list to see, but I think it's not visible to you and Carly."

"Well? What is it?"

"We're really happy that you're dating someone though!" Her eyes slanted and her finger tapped impatiently on the side of her laptop. What was the problem, why were they avoiding her?

"Cat…out with it…"

She watched Cat twirl her hair, groaning as Tori informed her they just didn't want her to be hurt. They were looking up Freddie's profile, that much was obvious. "Freddie said he kissed Carly before she left…" Sam's body froze and her eyes started to fill with terror. Freddie and Carly _kissed?_ Why wouldn't Carly _tell her_? Cat leaned into the computer, reading the post. "He says he finally kissed the girl of his dreams, but she's moved away and he's feeling lonely, so he wants to hook up with his old girlfriend…"

Her heart instantly dropped from the high cloud it was on and smashed like a vase into the ground. "What!" She clutched her chest and slowly shook her head, Freddie _was_ playing her, wasn't he? "T-That can't be-" The girls shared their screen and Freddie's post appeared before she had time to fall into denial. Sure enough, it was just as they said. A new post appeared, Freddie revealed that he just got a date with Sam for Saturday. Beneath his post, Gibby commented 'player'. Tears welled up in her eyes as she cupped her hand over her mouth. She was in too much shock to speak, and instantly wished Cat were here to give her a hug. Or Carly, but right now she wasn't sure if she should be angry with Carly or not. Carly _kissed_ Freddie, she broke the 'bro/girl code' and kissed him, then didn't even tell her! She could have taken it had Carly told her. Why hadn't she told her?

"Sam we're sorry, we had to tell you."

"I know, I just don't know how to react to this…" She looked to the cell phone beside her left leg and slowly breathed in. "I have to call Carly. I need to know why she didn't…" Breathing was difficult and her chest was beginning to ache. Her fears were coming true, she really _was_ only second fiddle. Instinctively she grabbed her phone and dialed Carly's number, praying she could hold back on the anger. "Come on, pick up Carly…"

After three rings, Carly answered. Her chipper voice was no aid to the fury Sam was feeling inside. She let out the accusation, questioning why her friend wouldn't tell her she kissed Freddie. Her speech was so quick and her aggravation intense that she wasn't even allowing Carly a moment to explain. "Sam, Sam hold on. Let me talk, Sam, please!"

She ceased her hurt and angry rant, tears dripping down her cheek. "What!"

"Breathe…breathe, Sam…"

"I don't know whether to be hurt, angry, betrayed…how am I supposed to feel about this, Carly? We swore…"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, I just, I knew I'd miss him. Maybe a part…look, there's no excuse. I didn't tell you because, I thought it would be done with. I didn't even want to talk about it. I was protecting you, Sam…"

"A lot of good _that_ did, Carly…He posted online that he finally got to kiss you, but can't be with you, so he's hooking up with his old girlfriend. I'm second fiddle! Again!" She didn't mean to yell at Carly, she wasn't angry at _her_. Certainly her friend meant well.

"I'm sorry Sam, I…I really am. It was a mistake, I honestly don't feel anything for him. It's just…I can't explain it, Sam."

"It's fine, just, I'm not going to date him. I can't. I'm sick of this." Her stomach was knotting up and bile had set her throat aflame. She couldn't even think about Freddie now without puking. "I can't believe how fickle he is! You know what Cat and Tori said, Carly?" Carly hummed, letting Sam get her venting out of the way. "They said a fickle person is still a cheater! They're so choosy they can't make up their mind. I…I'm not sure I even want to see his face again."

"What are you going to do? Talk to him about it?"

"I can't do that, Carly. He probably doesn't even realize what he's doing…" She looked to Skype and realized Cat and Tori were still on. The two girls were talking with each other about some random stuff regarding school, probably so they wouldn't interfere with Sam's personal call. She heard Tori say something about the apartment Cat was getting, held her breath and closed her eyes. "Actually Carly…" This wasn't a decision to make in the heat of the moment, but what else did she have? She always ran from her problems, how should this be any different? She couldn't trust Freddie, not with him being as fickle as he was. "I think I know what I can do…"

"Sam?"

"I'm done with him. Done with Freddie, done with Gibby…Cat needs a roommate and there are some great colleges around Hollywood Arts. I kind of like the thought of going into education, maybe theater." She heard her friend gasp, stunned that Sam would even consider moving away. Cat and Tori glanced at the screen from the corner of their eyes. "I know I said I'd still be his friend, but…I'm a little nervous to even talk to him now. I just need time to think…to consider this…"

"Sam…I'm sorry…I really, _really_ am."

"It's okay Carly." The tears burned her retinas as she swallowed down the bile in her throat. "Freddie never got over you. _Ever_. Even when we dated, I'm sure. I'm done with him."

"You do deserve a guy that would choose you first. I'm sure you'll find one…"

"Hey, don't forget the L.A. boys!" Tori and Cat chimed happily. Sam laughed at their remark, remembering the video that Cat sent her of the duo singing the song about the LA boys to Beck, Andre, and Robbie. She and Cat had many jokes regarding the 'hotness scale' of the men in LA. "College guys are pretty hot."

"Y-Yeah…there's one way to look at it, Carly." She heard Carly question the comment, having not heard Cat or Tori. She breathed it in and slowly exhaled. "I think I might find someone better down there…" Cat had two brothers, one older and one younger. The younger was the one with a bunch of mental drama, the elder was the one letting Cat rent his apartment while he went overseas, due to his active military duty. She'd talked to the elder brother a few times in the past, he was extremely attractive, andshe always did like a man in uniform. "Maybe I can finish up my school at Hollywood Arts…" She put her phone on speaker so Carly could hear the girls.

"HA has a _great_ drama program!" Cat enthused, "You'd love Mr. Sikowitz. He said he got his teaching from a nearby university with one of the best theater arts and education programs around! You can get scholarships and stuff, or even loans."

"Go for it," Carly replied. Sam moaned inwardly and huffed, still fifty-fifty. "Do you want me to talk to Freddie for you?"

"No…I still have to think, but I am _not_ going out with him." She needed to cool down and not let her anger get the better of her. She didn't forget what happened with Jonah, and he _never_ let her forget about it anytime they saw one another at school. She'd gone too far with the bounce machine, considering Jonah acknowledged he did something stupid, two wrongs _never_ made a right. "Carly, if you ever came back, do you think you would go out with him?"

"I don't know…he may not realize that he hurt you, but he still hurt my best friend. If he still had feelings for you, he would never have you know…let the kiss happen…"

"I don't care if you date him now or not."

"I wouldn't do it," Tori remarked, "I mean think about it. It's the same situation I had with Beck. Beck wanted me to kiss him, but I didn't want to betray Jade like that because she still had feelings for him. Clearly Sam has feelings for Freddie, but after this…"

"Yeah. Anyway, we'll let you think about it…"

"I do need some time."

It didn't take long for her to figure out what she was going to do. The call of Hollywood Arts was too great for her, she'd just have to audition and get in. As she stopped the motorcycle on the stoplight, she thought back to Freddie and iCarly, these things _would_ be missed, but it was for the best that she leave. She sent Freddie a text saying she wasn't going to go out with him and needed time to think, that she would talk about it later. She needed to cool down before she bitched him out for what he did. One day, when he decided to play fickle with another pair of women, he'd get his just desserts then.

Carly, still her best friend, was grateful for her not being angry with her about what happened with Freddie. She was going to try and remain in touch with Carly as often as possible, but no one was too sure how to patch the friendship with Freddie. It could be done, but only when she was able to move onward and forget the whole mess.

She spoke with Cat's elder brother, who was amazed she was going to move down. There was a deadline for Cat picking her roommate, and that was whenever the brother was to ship off. He asked Sam out for coffee to chat about the apartment. Sam hoped maybe there would be something more there, but she'd have to see. The future held many mysteries, all she was ready and willing to explore.

As the light flicked green, she took one last look towards Bushwell Plaza in the distance. She flicked away a tear, revved her motorcycle, and sped off. Before leaving, in the text conversation she and Freddie had, he had continually asked why she changed her mind and why she was leaving. She offered no response, only telling him she'd found a friend to stay with for a while. His last text struck an emotional chord in her, one that beckoned a response, to which she gave none.

"I guess then, this is goodbye."

* * *

Considering this is written for _entertainment purposes only_, crazed seddie/creddie shippers _please_ _refrain from negativity_. This is NOT a warzone. Just let me know what you thought of the story and how you liked it. It's just my thoughts on Sam's choice of going to LA, leaving when there is really nothing left for her in Seattle.


End file.
